Most Emailed Articles

Video:How to Make Traditional Viennese Apple Strudel

Viennese Apple Strudel is a classic dessert recipe that's sure to please. Learn how to make this classic German dish in this how-to video from About.com.See Transcript

Transcript:How to Make Traditional Viennese Apple Strudel

Hi. I'm Dieter M. Weber of Chefdieter.com as well as the Heidelberg Restaurant in New York City for About.com. Today we're going to be making traditional Viennese apple strudel.

Ingredients for Viennese Apple Strudel

To make this dish, you'll need:

8 red or granny smith apples(peeled, cored, and sliced)

6 leaves phyllo dough

1 pinch salt

1/3 c. castor sugar

4 tbsp. cinnamon

fresh grated nutmeg (to taste)

zest of 1 lemon

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 c. ground walnuts

1/3 c. bread crumbs

1/2 lb butter (clarified)

Making the Apple Mixture

We're starting out with apples that have been peeled, cored, and sliced. Add a pinch of salt to the apple. Add sugar. Add nutmeg. Add cinnamon. Add the zest of 1 lemon. With the lemon zest, you just take the outer layer of the skin. Avoid the white pith, as that will make things bitter. Now add the juice of half a lemon.

Mix everything together. The salt and the lemon will start bringing the juices out of the apple. Add a little bit of round walnut to compensate for that. Then add bread crumbs, just to bind everything together.

Assembling the Strudel

We're using phyllo leaves for the strudel dough. The trick with phyllo is to work fast because this stuff dries out. Lay down one leaf. Brush on a little butter. Then repeat that 3 more times until you have a big square. The leaves should overlap. This way you get a better roll. Now we repeat the process to give it a second layer. Now place the filing within our pastry. Start about an inch off of the end. Layer your strudel filling into the pastry. Make sure it's nice and even. Fold up one end. Then fold the other end. Now begin to roll.

Unroll it a little, then check the width. Brush the strudel with butter. Make sure to get the ends because you're going to have to fold them in. Press in the edges. Roll once again. Again, repeat the butter, press in the edges.

You always want to cook the strudel seam side down. So roll it over to where it's resting on the seam. Give it a nice final coat of butter. Make sure the edges are pressed in. Roll your paper around, and now you're ready for the oven.

How to Bake the Viennese Apple Strudel

Put it in a 350 degree oven for approximately 25 minutes. </p>

Now, let's take a look. That looks absolutely perfect! Let the strudel rest for about 10 minutes after baking.

Serving the Apple Strudel

Unwrap the strudel. Take a knife to cut the paper right down the middle. Add a final coat of butter to give it that nice, beautiful sheen. Now coat with powdered sugar.

When cutting a strudel, my favorite parts are the ends. So I always take them off first, and reserve them for the chef and his friends. Now we will go for the regular cuts. I like taking a little fresh made whipped cream and plopping it right on top.

And this is a tradition apple strudel topped with powdered sugar and fresh made whip cream. This recipe serves 6 to 8 people.

Thank you for watching. To learn more, please visit About.com.

About videos are made available on an "as is" basis, subject to the User Agreement.